Local Environmental Enforcement Program
and
County Litter Control Officer

What is a Local Environmental Enforcement
Program?
A local environmental enforcement program is a program that
your local county or city government can initiate to combat illegal
dumping in your community. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources
encourages local communities to start their own enforcement program
to combat illegal dumping. The department retained the services of
a consultant to produce a manual entitled How to Establish
and Operate an Environmental Enforcement Program. This is
an in depth manual that is designed to help local governments start
an enforcement program or improve an existing enforcement program
to combat illegal dumping. From 2000 through 2002, twelve workshops held throughout the
state explained how to start and implement
the program outlined in the manual.

What is a Litter Control Officer?
One approach that several counties have used to start a proactive
program to combat illegal dumping that occurs on back roads, rural
farm lands and abandoned properties, is to start a volunteer litter
control officer program.

In the county where this program developed, a single,
devoted individual approached the county sheriff with a plan. The
plan was that a deputized volunteer could identify, document and
develop cases against illegal dumpers in the county. The result
was a significant reduction in illegal dumping and the cleanup of
many dump sites in the county.

With the success of this program in the original county
under way, the first officer talked with other counties and showed
them the benefits of using this new tool against dumpers.

Litter Control Officer programs work when a county
has the strong support of its prosecutor and local judges. The officers
have full ticketing authority in the county because they are actual
deputy officers of the sheriff's department. Local environmental
enforcement programs also work when they have the strong support
of the elected officials and/or senior level management, local prosecutors,
and judges. Dumping citations are issued by enforcement personnel
and require dumpers to appear before the judge in court to answer
to the documented violations. Sentences can include fines, cleanup
of dumps or both.

Would you support a program like this in your county or
community?

What can an Enforcement Program or a Litter
Control Officer do for your county?
For most city and county law enforcement offices, illegal
dumping issues are low on the list of enforcement priorities. For
this reason, a program dedicated to illegal dumping or an initiative
by one dedicated volunteer can have a significant impact.

The program becomes recognized in the community, and
local citizens know who they can call to report dump sites or vehicles
they suspect may be involved in dumping.

How do you want your county and community to look?

Do you want illegal dumpers to know that they will
be prosecuted just like any other criminal?
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources promotes this plan
for three reasons. First, it allows the county or city to take a
pro-active step in the appearance of its area, especially recreational
areas and areas frequented by tourists. Secondly, in some of the
departments regional offices, there are only one or two solid waste
investigators to cover complaints and inspections in up to 24 counties
in their regions. With the help of local enforcement programs, more
complaints and incidences of illegal dumping can be dealt with,
further discouraging this illegal activity. Thirdly, local officials
can more effectively enforce against the offenders.

How do I get a Local Environmental Enforcement Program
started in my community?
Often it is the local governments staff or citizens
groups that must convince the elected officials and/or senior level
management that there is a need for an environmental enforcement
program. Convincing elected officials and senior management that
limited resources should be expended to establish a new government
program can sometimes be a daunting task. However, there are a number
of ways in which staff and/or citizens groups can educate their
elected officials and senior level management with regard to the
need for an environmental enforcement program. Examples include
photographs of illegal dump sites, maps showing the locations of
illegal dump sites, press coverage in other regions, examples of
other successful programs, and tours of illegal dump sites. More
examples are given in the manual.

What type of person does it take to be a Litter Control
Officer?
Becoming a litter control officer is not an easy task for an
individual to assume. It is a lot of responsibility and hard work,
and the position is usually voluntary. The person should either
have a law enforcement background or be capable of getting the training
needed to qualify as a county deputy. The duties may involve odd
working hours to patrol during times when dumping may be occurring.

In some cases, portions of court costs go into a fund
to supply uniforms and gas for the officer. In some counties, surplus
county vehicles are available for the officer's transportation needs.

Who do I call about a Local Environmental Enforcement
Program or to report illegal dumping?
f you want your community to look into developing an enforcement
program, or if you would like a copy of our manual How to
Establish and Operate an Environmental Enforcement Program,
contact Dan Fester with the Missouri Department of Natural
Resources at 573-751-5401.

If you want to report illegal dumping activities in
your community, you may contact your local government. They will
be able to tell you if there is a local environmental enforcement
program in place, and if so, they will put you in touch with the
appropriate people.